Maintaining Your Plastic Surgery Results This Holiday Season

Ah, the holidays are upon us. Exciting as that may be, if you gave yourself the gift of fat reduction through plastic surgery this past year, you might be concerned about gaining weight during this celebratory season.

After all, it’s easy to use the holidays as an excuse to overindulge through November and December. The air is getting colder, and satisfyingly rich goodies are everywhere.

This is what makes maintaining plastic surgery results this holiday season so challenging. Fear not. Scientifically based advice (along with a shift in mindset) can help you stay on track this year.

Best Ways of Maintaining Your Plastic Surgery Results During the Holidays

The holidays don’t have to be a time when you ditch your healthy eating habits and fitness goals to go hog wild. You can still embrace the season’s festivities while preventing weight gain.

And you don’t have to completely deprive yourself either. Consider the following four steps this year:

1. Make Water a Priority

Staying hydrated keeps your energy up, your skin radiant, and your body healthy. It’s also key in controlling your weight. That’s why it should really be a year-round goal. But it’s especially important during the busy temptation-laden holidays.

If you concentrate on staying hydrated, you’ll stave off hunger and more easily resist the treats in the break room, at the holiday party, and at the grocery store. And if you’re new to the whole ‘drinking water’ thing, consider starting with some unsweetened herbal teas to help you transition. Lots of flavor with none of the guilt.

2. Steer Clear of Holiday Drinks

While you’re focusing on drinking more water, try to resist the holiday-themed drinks at your favorite coffeehouse. Some of the more popular drinks (gingerbread/chocolate mint/pumpkin pie lattes and caramel cider for example) are loaded with sugar. If you drink one of those every day, the calories will add up fast.

In addition, seasonal holiday alcoholic drinks are also an easy way to pack on the pounds. On its own, alcohol has 7 purely empty calories per gram. Add the creams and juices and other mixers that make the holiday bright, and you’re taking in a lot of excess calories.

This doesn’t mean you can’t have the occasional sweet latte or cranberry holiday cocktail though. You can still enjoy these special treats if you drink fewer of them and only on chosen days. This way, they’ll be more special. On the other days, stick with plain coffee or herbal tea – with perhaps just a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of nutmeg. And continue to drink a lot of water.

3. Stay Active

The holidays are extra busy. And one of the first things that gets pushed to the side might be your workout routine. You’re far from alone! We get it.

So when the holidays become overwhelming and you don’t have an hour to commit to the gym, consider trying Tabata-style workouts instead. These are workouts that consist of intense bursts of energy alternating with rest periods. You can find plenty on YouTube.

If you’re still feeling that you can’t fit in enough exercise, see if you can find active ways to have a good time during the holidays. How about a hike in the snowy woods or giving skating a try. Maybe strap on some skis and head to the trails or hills. There might even be a local ‘Jingle Run/Walk’ you can sign up for with friends and family.

4. Try Intermittent Fasting

Managing your food consumption during the holidays can be tricky when there are treats around every corner. But if you’re able to do intermittent fasting, you may end up with minimal damage in the weight gain arena.

If you’re not familiar, intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. There are numerous ways to do intermittent fasting.

One of the most common and manageable ways is called the 16:8 plan in which you eat what you want during an eight-hour window (such as noon until 8pm or  2pm-10pm) and fast for the other 16 hours. You can also do a more extreme version, known as the warrior diet, where you fast for 20 hours and eat for four hours.

You could also eat normally one day and then either fast completely or have a small meal the next day. This may be more difficult during the busy season though.

Whatever the case, if you’re able to do intermittent fasting, it could pay off for you in that it can burn visceral fat calories through the fasting period. This way, you’ll feel less guilty when you do break the fast. You still need to be careful not to overdo it though.

5. Just Be Mindful

At the end of the day, mindfulness is your most powerful tool for maintaining your plastic surgery results this holiday season. Each time you’re presented with a treat, ask yourself if it’s really worth it. Sometimes, it will be. And in this case, take a small potion and savor it. If, on the other hand, you won’t truly relish it, then why waste the calories?

In addition, if you know you’re going to a big party that will be loaded with tempting food and drink, then have a healthy and filling snack about an hour before you go. This could be unsweetened Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, peanut butter on whole grain bread, or fresh veggies dipped in hummus. Going into the party somewhat full will curb your desire to overindulge.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, if you do overindulge, give yourself a break. It happens. And remember that even though you can’t change what’s already happened, you do have control over how you go forward. In other words, don’t let one slip-up justify blowing your healthy habits through the rest of the holidays. Instead, focus on making positive choices each day.

You CAN Enjoy Without Overindulging

Maintaining your plastic surgery results this holiday season comes down to watching your portions, choosing healthy food and drink, staying hydrated, and getting some movement in each day.

If you can establish these habits during the holidays, you’ll find it even easier to maintain them for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, if you could still use some help looking your best this holiday season, don’t hesitate to contact us for your free consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon. And gift yourself with more confidence and ease this holiday.